One historic OEM leaves and another arrives, in the continually unfolding makeup of the Australian car parc.
In yet another sign that repairers will have to be flexible in the cars they see rolling though their doors, there was major news this week with French OEM Citreon exiting Australia after a century and more new EVbrands coming to our shores.
Inchcape, the distribution partner for Citroën in Australia told media the brand will cease sales operations from 1 November 2024, 104 years since it first began its presence in Australia including a stint at manufacturing.
“The Citroën 5CV enjoys the storied history of being the very first vehicle to completely circumvent Australia in 1925 and is proudly displayed in the National Australian Museum,” the website notes.
FCAI figures indicate new-car sales for the first half of 2024 were low and have been dropping over the last year.
New models
It comes while news of Cadillac, the luxury arm of US company General Motors, is set to launch in Australia with announcements about its new centre in Rosebery Engine Yards in inner Sydney.
Cadillac is reported to be planning a range that is electric-only and aimed at the luxury EV market now occupied in Australia by high-end Europena brands BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
This also comes as China gears itself up to be a major exporter of EV’s to Australia, with established brands like BYD, Chery and GWM.
More EVs
Last week Zeekr, a higher end brand from the geely Holding group, announced its launch in Austrlia, one of as many as 12 new brands seeking to seize the opportunity provided by the NVES introduction.
In the next 12 months alone, there are seven Chinese brands expected to start selling cars in Australia alongside Zeekr including JAC Motors, Xpeng, Leapmotor, Skywell, Jaecoo, and Smart. They will join already-established brands, such as Chery, LDV, GWM, Haval, and BYD.
China is now the third largest country of origin for cars in Australia, after Japan and Thailand. The FCAI numbers on country of origin also include Tesla, the biggest selling EV in Australia.